


Dreams of Light

by shadowpyxy_pyxydust



Category: Final Fantasy XIII Series, Final Fantasy XIII-2, Lightning Returns: Final Fantasy XIII
Genre: Abandonment, Abuse, And Rose-Haired Phantom guarantees angst, Come on...It's Bhunivelze, Emotional/Psychological Abuse, F/M, Gen, Heavy Angst, Implied/Referenced Character Death, Of COURSE there's torture of various kinds, Physical Abuse, Psychological Torture, Psychological Trauma, Sorry...No 'Happily Ever After' for this one, Torture
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-11-20
Updated: 2016-12-02
Packaged: 2018-09-01 00:42:15
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 4
Words: 9,258
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8600350
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/shadowpyxy_pyxydust/pseuds/shadowpyxy_pyxydust
Summary: Etro has died. Serah is dead. Lightning's in stasis. Hope and the others are left to pick up the pieces of Caius' victory. Unknown to them, Bhunivelze, God of Light, haunts the very halls of the artificial moon bearing his name. He has found his Savior; he now looks for the means of controlling her.





	1. Prologue I: The Ties That Bind

**Author's Note:**

> This story is rated M because the horrible awful things Bhuni did to Hope to remake him and the creepy gut-churning changes to Bhuni (and his views of his savior) as he meshed with Hope are a big part of this fic. I apologize in advance if this stuff triggers you. 
> 
> READ THE TAGS!!!!!! More will be added as necessary.
> 
> As always, statements in double quotes are speech, statements without quotes are thoughts, and single quotes are special based on their context (onomatopoeia, euphemism, quoting another, etc.)

Dreams flit through her consciousness. Like a prism throwing rainbows, dreams reveal the inner layers of her being—all the things she hides, even from herself.

 

Childhood dreams shatter upon life’s hardships.

The death of a mother gives birth to a guardian.

Guardian becomes soldier; the soldier turns cold, hard.

Blue eyes a shade or two darker; pink hair likewise a shade or two darker. Her sister. Her purpose. Gone. Dead. Not by her hand; it might as well have been.

 

Agony beyond reckoning would pull tears if she had any more to shed. Yet she sits upon a dead goddess’ throne, her crystal as clouded as her heart.

* * *

 

 New dreams come.

  
  
A warmth long gone from her heart, colored as green as his eyes. Her charge. Her partner. He, as damaged as she, who managed to do so much more. Her balance. She destroys; he creates.

 

Jade green framed by silver; eyes overly large in a too-worn face. Emotions dart through them, expressive—almost too open. Fear. Admiration. Rage. Trust. Grief. Determination. Abandonment. Love.

 

She revisits the time long ago when he was a child forced to grow too fast. A time when his inner darkness nearly destroyed him…Them. In a foreshadowing of what was to come, he became the glue for their group providing the hope he was named for.

* * *

 

The dream shifts.

 

She watches between battles in that cold, dark place as he grows into the man the boy l'Cie promised to become. He mourns her, his mother, Fang, and Vanille. She watches as Snow explains why they’re wrong—at least about her. A fire, long dormant, lights his eyes as he finds his hope again. Years, fruitless years, pass; little does he know she watches as he searches.

  
The dream flinches as he launches the New Cocoon, Bhunivelze, and leaves to meet…her. Agony and anger coalesce as green and silver look over at pink and blue. One vibrant; the other faded.

* * *

 

 

The dream fades to start again.

 

These are the ties that bind her to the two so like herself—one in appearance, the other in spirit.


	2. Prologue II: Found By God

The dream calls another awareness to her. Stasis dreams work differently than normal dreams. This is more true in the time after the goddess’ death. Without Etro’s protection, crystal dreams are akin to light dancing across water. This light draws the Sleeping God’s attention.

  
He searches for the one suitable to birth his new world. Etro’s passing was the death knell of this world, and time is running out. He needs a warrior, and not just any warrior will do. This person must have a singular focus and must be wholly dedicated to his cause.

  
God’s dreams find hers. He watches as…

  
  
She halts her growth…in the name of her sister’s well-being.

She works against her sister’s happiness…in the name of her sister’s protection.

She breaks vows she voluntarily swore…in the name of her sister’s recovery.

She swears bloody vengeance…in the name of her sister’s seeming death.

She learns to work with others…in the name of her sister’s dream.

She accepts the unacceptable…in the name of her sister’s heart.

  
  
He has found her, his world’s Savior.

  
The God of Light doesn’t understand why this girl motivates his savior; he simply accepts it. Following the tie between the two young women, he comes to Chaos’ shores. The connection disappears into the opaque sea.

* * *

 

 

Unwilling to forego his chosen savior, God returns to observe the pale reflections of her dreams. A flash of silver and jade catches his attention. He watches as…

  
  
She steps between her eidolon, a representation of her innermost being, and a boy.

She apologizes to him when she doesn’t apologize to anyone else—not even her sister.

She mentors him, identifies with him, and accepts him—flaws and all.

She allows him to see a vulnerability only her sister has seen and witness a personal epiphany no one else will ever know of.

She makes contact with the others believing the boy, now a young man, is capable of doing his part on his own where the others are not.

She returns to him as his hope ebbs to reassure him of his path.

She accepts him as her partner, her equal, where before she forsook all others.

  
  
Great Bhunivelze follows this tie to the floating shell bearing his name. He follows further to a room serving as both command center and council chamber. There his consciousness observes…

  
  
The silver-haired man from the savior’s dreams stands with two others. He is the slightest of the three. His commanding presence marks him as their leader….


	3. Chapter 1: And So It Begins

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Hope, Noel, Snow, and Sazh determine their next steps after Chaos has filled their world. Unbeknownst to them, a malignant presence observes.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: CE stands for “Chaos Era,” the dating system used to mark the passage of time from Etro's death to Bhunivelze's rise 500 years later. At the start of the Chaos Era, everyone marked time this way. Eventually, only the remnants of the Academy and the Conseil de Renaissance marked time at all, and then only in an “official” capacity. The Order of Salvation uses a different system called the Savior's Countdown or SC. Unlike the CE system, the SC system counts down to Bhunivelze's prophesied awakening instead of up from the initial Chaos infusion in 500 AF. Once the Order rose to power in Luxerion, their dating system became the new standard of time for everyone except the Academy, who maintained the CE system. Example: Hope disappeared in 331 CE or 169 SC. Both are correct.
> 
> In both calendars, months are 28 days and there are 13 months in a year.

_**CE 0, Month 1, Day 26, Command Center,** _ **Bhunivelze** _..._

“We don't have a choice.” Hope held his friends' gazes. “Time has stopped, whatever we wanted, and we're the only ones with the ability and notoriety to keep people from turning on each other until we figure things out.”

 

“Heh, **you** have the notoriety, Director. Not us.” Snow grimaced in his attempt to smile. “Still, we'll stand by you, kid.”

 

Hope rolled his eyes at the large blond. “Whatever. I'm not a Hero of Time.”

 

“Nope. You're the one with the fan club.” Noel smirked, blue eyes clouded with grief.

 

Hope's eyes dropped to the ground. _All I've ever wanted…._ He snapped his attention back to his comrades, a look of firm determination settling into place. “We do this together.” He held his fist out in front of him. As the other two men met his fist with theirs, he added with a nod, “We do this for **them**.” Noel and Snow nodded their agreement.

 

“You're the leader, Hope. People trust you, and they're used to you.” Sazh's voice carried from the door. The older man strolled in and gave the others a pained smile. Placing his hand over the top of the others' joined fists, he added, “You decide what we do and how we do it; we'll get it done.”

 

Hope let his arm fall to his side and paced the length of the room in thought. “People need something to look forward to. With time stopped, the natural flow of life has stopped, too.” He strode to the window overlooking the darkened interior of the New Cocoon. _It's been like this for_ _week_ _s._ _Or is it months?_ _We need something to hold on to._ Staring out onto the world he and his comrades struggled so hard and so long to save only to lose everything they held most dear in the end, Hope failed to hear Sazh walk up behind him.

 

The older man squeezed the Director's shoulder gently in comfort. “Soldier Girl believed in you.” Hope's heart clenched painfully at Sazh's familiar phrase, his breath caught somewhere between his lungs and his lips. “She'd be proud, Hope.” Sazh saw the younger man flinch. His grip tightened. “We believe in you, too.”

 

The leader of the world, what few survivors Chaos left in its wake, released a shuddering breath. Once he knew he could trust his voice to not break, Hope answered, “Thanks, Sazh.” Heart heavy, he turned his thoughts to strategy. He addressed his friends.

 

“This is what we know. The Chaos has stopped time, just as Caius intended.” Hope noticed Noel recoil from his words as if they were a rampaging behemoth. _Sorry, Noel._ Drawing on long practice, Hope pushed his innate sympathy for the younger man away. _We don't have time to mince words._ Picking up his datapad, he continued, “That means children won't grow up, adults won't grow old, even pregnancies will not continue to term. That's not to say people can't die. We've had people die of suicide, murder, injury, and illness the last few weeks.”

 

“All the survivors took an emotional hit in some way or another after....” Hope's voice drifted into silence. He shook away the memory of golden bands, visible for the first time to his eyes, scrolling through a darkening sky while otherworldly bells tolled for the dead goddess and her missing champion. The other men said nothing about his distraction which earned them his everlasting gratitude.

 

He took a steadying breath before continuing. “For the Academy, that includes some researchers questioning the validity of our methods or focus since the Fall of Cocoon five hundred years ago. That has spilled over into the general populace with some questioning our legitimacy as the ruling body of _Bhunivelze_.” Hope turned the datapad so the others could see what he was looking at. “This is my answer to those concerns.” A small chart with notes in the margins was displayed on the datapad. Across the top was scrawled the title 'Conseil de Renaissance.' The others scanned the document.

 

“Umm. What is this, Hope?” Snow looked at the boy-turned-man in front of him.

 

Sighing, Hope answered his question. “It's a leadership council. A ruling body that will be answerable to the people without the stigma the Academy currently carries with it.”

 

Incredulous, Sazh blurted, “Like the Sanctum?”

 

“Yes and no….”

 

Snow interrupted before Hope could explain himself. “Whoa, kid. Didn't we, like, take down the Sanctum a few years back? And now you want to replace it?”

 

Hope pinched the bridge of his nose in frustration. The motion reminded the ex-l'Cie present of their erstwhile leader the last time they faced the end of the world together. Biting words born of anguish spilled from the silver-haired man. “Snow, while it may have only been three years for you, it's been thirteen years and several centuries for me.” A gaze made of green glass shards stared challengingly into Snow's ice blue eyes.

 

Snow felt his heart skip a few beats as his pain reflected in the man before him. He dropped his eyes to his fists with a muttered, “Sorry.”

 

“Forget it.” Hope refocused on his friends' concerns while Noel looked on confused. “This isn't like the Sanctum because we aren't Dysley and his cronies. Nor are we beholden to fal'Cie like Barthandelus or Anima.”

 

“Wait. What's the problem with a council of citizens ruling? Isn't that what the Academy was, basically? And the Farseers used councils for generations.” Noel watched the others as they gathered their thoughts.

 

“The Farseers were led by or answered to one of the Yeuls. In theory if not in practice after their civil war.” Hope paused to consider his next words. “The Academy, like every Yeul ever born, was dedicated to a higher purpose. Hers was to preserve the timeline. The Academy's was to create a world independent of fal'Cie and gods.”

  
  
“Yeah, but without that 'higher purpose' or 'higher standard', ruling bodies become as corrupted as the humans on them.” Sazh's words fell into the silence they created.

 

“Okay. How do we keep that from happening here?” Snow cut to the heart of the matter.

 

Hope was glad he had an answer. _I just hope they accept it. I don't see another way to keep humanity together until we can find_ _Light and figure out_ _a way to get Fang and Vanille out of stasis. Once_ _we're all together_ _, we can focus on saving the world._ A humorless huff escaped him. _Again._

 

“We grant the Conseil the power to govern the people and monitor the Academy and its efforts. We dedicate the Academy to finding an answer to the Chaos Problem. We keep the people focused on what the future can be instead of mired in what the present was supposed to be.”

 

Noel whistled.

 

“That's a tall order. You sure you're up for it?” Sazh's question once again hung suspended between the men.

 

“There are some things you just do, Sazh.” Hope's humorless smile jolted through his friends.

 

“Hope….” Hope dismissed Snow's concern before he could finish voicing it.

 

“What choice do we have, Snow?” A disparaging tone grew as Hope continued. “I'm **Director** Hope. **Leader** of Academia, now _Bhunivelze_ —a planetoid I've **created**. I've defied time **and** death. I **have** to be the hope I was named for.” A hitched breath. A harsh swallow. “There isn't anyone else to do it.”

 

“If you're sure, Hope.” Sazh's fatherly voice grounded the Director in the present.

 

Nodding, the not-young scientist saw himself out of the council chamber. He paused a few steps away from the door after shivering from a sudden chill. _Odd. The vents aren't on._ Looking up into the corner nearest the command center, Hope thought he saw the slightest reflection of Alexander's summoning seal with a chill emanating from it. Upon closer inspection, both the seal and the chill faded. _Need some sleep._ Director Hope Estheim continued to his quarters unknowing of the malignant presence he left in his wake.

 

_Bhunivelze, God of Light and Creator of the Universe, has discovered the means of controlling his savior's Chaotic soul. His presence lingers._


	4. Interlude 1: The Pain of Being Left Behind

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Shared pain binds and breaks those left behind.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter is a flashback chapter (mostly) and should be read as such. The first and second sections take place before Chapter 1, while the third section takes place between Chapters 1 and 2. Why flashback and non-flashback in the same chapter? Because each section shares a theme.
> 
> Also, I'm taking creative liberties with the placement of Etro's Temple. In this story, Academy HQ was directly replaced by the Goddess' Temple when Chaos roared in. In the cutscene at the end of the game, the player sees the Temple materialize with a crystallized Lightning to the northeast of Academy HQ and the New Cocoon, although the distance between Academia and Etro's Temple is vague at that time (you can see the HQ's spires dissolving in the Chaos as the camera zooms toward the Temple and Lightning crystallized on Etro's Throne). 
> 
> This is the same placement we see in Lightning Returns (Temple northeast relative to the Ark/New Cocoon and north of most of the ruins of Academia proper).
> 
> For dates, please see Chapter 1. I've updated that to explain how the date system works and added dates there, too, for story flow purposes.

_**CE 0, Day 0, Sazh's airship, Above a dissolving Academia...** _

“Hang on, kids!” Sazh's strained voice crackled through the overloaded loudspeakers. With that little bit of warning, the airship was swept up into the Chaos' maelstrom. The airship pitched and rolled. Hope and Noel, clutching their valuable burdens to their chests, scrambled to maintain their balance.

 

Gripping a safety bar in one hand and Mog in the other, Hope shouted to be heard over the incoming Chaos. “We need to get to the airlock.”

 

Noel could barely hear Hope's voice over the rushing winds. “Where is it?”

 

Hope gestured toward the front of the craft. “Right behind the pilot's cabin.” With Noel's acknowledging nod, Director Estheim pulled himself toward the appropriate hatch. Looking behind him, he waved Noel closer. When the young hunter was close enough, Hope said, “Pass me Serah.”

 

“You can't hold her and Mog and open this door.” Noel clutched Serah's body closer to him.

 

Sighing with exasperation, Hope explained his plan. “We're going to hold them together while I open the hatch.” Green eyes narrowed to forestall Noel's interruption. “Pass me Serah. Then pass your arm through the safety bar. I'll pass Serah back to you, and you'll hold Serah between you and the bar. Then grab onto my belt. I'll be able to let go of my bar and enter the code to open the hatch without dropping Mog. Then I'll drop down and give Mog to Dajh. Once that's done, you'll lower Serah to me and climb down after. I'll close the hatch once we're inside.”

 

Understanding lightened the younger man's expression. “Alright.” Noel looked at Serah. _She looks like she's sleeping. Just like Yeul._ Brushing her ponytail behind her shoulder, he murmured. “We'll get you out of here. Hang tight.” Looking back to the silver-haired man in front of him, Noel shouted, “Here. Take her. Be careful.” He passed Serah into Hope's supporting grip.

 

_Like I'm going to drop her!_ Resisting the urge to roll his eyes in a very Lightning-fashion, Hope wrapped his elbow around the nearest vertical safety bar, transferred Mog to that arm, then gently cradled Serah to his chest with the other. From there, he and Noel worked in tandem exactly as he'd instructed.

 

Dropping down with Mog, Hope quickly found Dajh with his dad in the cockpit. “Hey, Dajh, can you hold this little guy for me, please?”

 

“Yeah!” Dajh gave an enthusiastic nod, grinned, and held out his hands to cradle the moogle close.

 

“Be easy with him. He's asleep.” With a smile for the nine year old, Hope turned briefly to Sazh.

 

Before he could say a word, the pilot preempted him. “Go help Noel and Serah. I got this.” With a raised hand in acknowledgment, Hope hurried back to the hatch shouting as he neared the open hatch.

 

“Ok, Noel, pass Serah down!”

 

“Here she comes.” Noel maneuvered Serah's body so he could lower her feet-first toward Hope. “Be careful.”

 

“I'm not going to drop her, Noel.” Frustration and guilt coated every word Hope spoke. “Just guide her my way, and I'll lower her to the deck. We'll take it from there.”

 

At that moment, Sazh's voice came over the internal and external PA systems. “Hang on, kids! This mess is headin' our way again.” The warning came a second too late.

 

“Shit!” As he reached for Serah's legs to stabilize her for Noel, Hope lurched to the right with the airship.

 

On the jump surface above, the ship's movement loosened Noel's grip under her shoulders. “Dammit!”

 

“Do you have her?!” Hope's panicked query was met with an aggravated huff.

 

“Yeah. Just… Push her up toward me a bit so I can get a better grip.”

 

“Give me a sec.” Hope steadied himself against the ladder and its associated bulkhead and ignored Noel's grousing above him. He grasped Serah's thighs and pushed upward until she stabilized in the younger man's grip. “Alright. Let's try this again.”

 

“Here she comes.”

 

The silver-haired scientist gently steadied Serah's legs at the calves. His sliding grip firmed at her hips as she was lowered further. “I have her.” Hope lowered Serah to the deck using his body as a slide. _Lightning is gonna kill me. Maybe even Snow._ Tears gathered at the corner of his eyes as he fully registered the girl's cooling skin. He concentrated on the desperate hope of seeing his friends again to combat the swirl of emotion he couldn't allow himself just yet.

 

Noel half-fell down the ladder. He immediately reached for the pink-haired girl. “I've got her.” The teen picked Serah up. “Where to?”

 

“Bring her back here to the emergency medical bay. There's a cot back here for medical treatment in the field and emergency medical transport.” Hope opened the internal hatch between the personnel/cargo area and the med bay. He watched solemnly as his friend laid the younger Farron's body on the cot.

 

“I'll just stay here, if that's ok,” Noel rasped as he sat on the edge of the cot and took one of Serah's hands in his. Tears began to streak Noel's cheeks.

 

“Yeah. I need to talk to Sazh, anyway.” Hope pulled his Director facade over himself quickly as he turned away. _Can't break down quite yet. Still need to get back to Academia. Then up to_ Bhunivelze _._

 

Entering the cockpit, Hope gestured to Dajh for Mog. The boy shook his head pulling a melancholy smile from the elder. “Ok. He looks comfortable there, anyway.”

 

As he sat in the co-pilot's seat, he stated, “Sazh, we have a problem.”

 

**On _Bhunivelze_ , two hours later…**

Three men of varying ages sat around the conference table lost in their thoughts. Hope sat in the center of one side while Noel and Sazh sat opposite him with a single chair between.

 

_Well, at least everyone made it out of Academia and on to_ Bhunivelze _._ Hope quashed the guilt and pain at the number of lives lost because of the influx of Chaos from Valhalla as images of airships crashing into each other and Chaos roiling the landscape beneath them flashed through his mind. _Good thing we had Sazh piloting our airship._ Taking a deep breath, he tried to calm his internal disquiet. _No one expected that._ To no avail. _I should've; it was a possibility, and people have died because I refused to..._ , Barthandelus' words to Snow aboard the _Palamecia_ from lifetimes ago echoed in his thoughts. _I r_ _efused to countenance the thought_ _that we might fail_ _._ The echoes from his past coalesced with the recent losses; together they chilled Director Estheim to the bone.

 

Noel spoke into the stifling silence. “Where do we go from here?”

  
  
“Who knows? We're still waiting on Trenchcoat and Soldier Girl to turn up.” Sazh answered in Hope's place. Noticing the younger man's distraction, he prodded. “Hope. Any news on that?”

 

Hope shook himself out of his horrified reverie. “No. Paradox readings are falling but still present.” He grasped at his namesake in desperation to move forward despite wanting to curl up and die like the people he'd failed. “If my calculations are correct, Snow and Light could show up any time and anywhere while those readings are still above zero.”

 

The youngest of the group turned toward the door. As the older two paused their discussion, they could hear what attracted the hunter's attention.

 

Voices, thudding footsteps, and scuffling echoed down the corridor and through the door.

 

“Thanks, but I don't need an escort.” A booming voice, trademark grin taking form through sound alone, brought the three in the council chamber to a standstill.

 

“The Director is in a meeting….” A woman's voice, irritated and exasperated, approached the door.

 

“I heard.” Snow's voice grew louder. “No worries. The kid and I go way back.”

 

Hope, Noel, and Sazh felt their hearts drop to their feet.

 

Aina Stein, Hope's assistant, reprimanded Snow, “The Director is **not** a **kid**!”

 

Sazh murmured, “There's one.”

 

Snow's voice filtered through the door again. “Yeah, well, he'll always be a kid to me.”

 

“Yeah.” Noel took a fortifying breath. “He isn't going to take this well, is he?”

 

“No. He won't.” Sazh gripped Noel with a steadying hand as the teen shut his eyes in anguish and swayed in his seat. “Now, that's not to say he'll blame you.”

 

Hope spoke up. “No. He's more likely to blame himself.” Hope gestured for Noel and Sazh to go. “I'll tell him about Serah.”

 

“I should…,” Noel's tight voice choked on the words.

  
  
“I'll do it.” Director Estheim issued the order, and Noel and Sazh found themselves standing. “I know him and how he thinks.”

 

Snow walked into the room as Sazh and Noel reached the door, sunny smile in place. “Hey, guys!”

 

The blond brawler's smile faltered as Noel squeezed passed with a choked “I'm sorry,” and Sazh gazed at him solemnly for a moment before making his exit.

 

Turning to Hope, Snow asked, “What was that about?”

 

“Sit down, Snow. This will take a while.”

 

Hope's somber, melancholy expression caused Snow's grin to fade away entirely. He took a seat in the chair across from the silver-haired scientist. “Where's Serah? I expected her to be here.”

 

“That's one of several things we need to talk about.” Before Hope could continue, Snow cut him off.

 

“There's nothing we need to talk about. I walk out of a paradox warp to find myself on this thing. I walk around looking for Serah, and I find **you** having a cozy chit-chat with Noel and Sazh, who won't even say hi.” Thick, blond brows lowered over icy blue eyes. “Where's Serah? What's going on?”

 

Dark lashes fanned over pale, freckled cheeks as Hope closed his eyes. Opening them again, he stared directly at Snow. Voice heavy with grief, Hope answered his friend's questions. “I'm sorry, Snow. Serah died just before Etro's Gate opened and Chaos flooded the world.”

 

He watched, sorrow constricting his chest, as one of his best friends struggled to absorb the news of his fiancee's death. _This is going to be even harder with Lightning. I don't know what she'll do other than blame herself._

 

“Wha—?” Snow sat unmoving, almost not breathing. Images of his focus, to protect Serah and help her face Caius— _help her_ _ **win**_ _, damn it!—_ flashed in his mind's eye. “That can't possibly be. She and Noel fixed the timeline. That's why we're all here!” The large man stood, knocking his chair over in his haste, and strode to the door. “Where's Lightning? We'll find Caius and make this right!”

 

Implacably, because he knew it would result in the least hurt for his friend, Hope dismantled Snow's denial. “You can't, Snow. Light's still missing, and Noel killed Caius when he attacked Serah in Valhalla.” He and Sazh had gotten the full story from Serah's partner about what happened after the two jumped into the distortion leading to Valhalla and before they landed on Sazh's airship. _J_ _ust_ _as the world went to shit_ _._ Hope steadied his breathing before hitting his friend with the harsh truth. “There's nothing to fight, and no way to bring her back.”

 

Snow crumpled into the door jamb, tears streaming and breaths coming in gasps. Hope carefully approached uncertain of his welcome into Snow's personal space. _I'm so sorry I couldn't save her, Snow. And I know Noel is, too._ When the larger man allowed him close enough, Hope pulled Snow into a comforting embrace and let his own tears flow. Haltingly, the older man tried to explain what happened. “She was a seeress. She knew the risks. She knew she could die; she even told Caius so when they were fighting on Sazh's airship.” At Snow's huff of teary laughter, Hope offered, “We have the recordings.”

 

Snow squeezed the slighter man back before straightening up. “Nah. I believe you.” A fond smile, softer and more wistful than Hope had ever seen on him before, settled on his face. “Serah was a lot braver and fiercer than even Light knew.” He pulled back and wiped his eyes clear. “Where is she?”

 

“She's in the medical suite, in cryostasis right now. We're hoping Lightning will find us, and then we'll have a funeral for her.” Hope understood his friend's pain all too well after living for ten years believing Lightning was dead or probably dead and another 490 years unable to reach her while she was in danger. “I'll take you there. You can take as much time as you need.”

 

“Thanks, kid.”

 

“I'm still not a kid, Snow.”

* * *

 

_**CE 0, Day 19, Hope's Office,** _ **Bhunivelze** _…_

Hope sat reviewing reports from various department heads. _This is ridiculous. The Paradox readings are dropping, but Chaos is still rushing into our world. No idea when it will reach equilibrium and stop._ He moved onto the next stack. _T_ _he wild- and plantlife are all changing_ _on the surface_ _. No telling what will be safe to eat or where we can find clean water_ _to replenish our supplies_ _once this is done._ He grumbled out loud, “Our maps are going to be useless.”

 

“Director.” The desk intercom buzzed to life, interrupting his grumbling and worrying.

 

Darkened green eyes rolled to gaze at the ceiling for a moment. _I keep telling them I'm not 'The Director.'_ He sighed. _Why_ _do_ _I expect it to change after a few centuries?_ A long arm reached out to the intercom and activated his side. “Hope, here.”

 

“Yes, sir. You're needed at Station PM-13. We are detecting anomalies to the northeast.”

 

That piqued the scientist's interest. “What kind of anomalies?”

 

“That's why we need you here, sir. We have no idea.”

 

“I'll be right there.” Absentmindedly disconnecting the intercom, Hope's thoughts and heart were already at the station.

 

_Please be Light._

 

_**Command Center,** _ **Bhunivelze** _, 10 minutes later…_

“Here, sir.” Saraya Nolan, a field researcher by discipline, stood from her station.

 

“Thank you, Ms. Nolan.” Always polite, Hope nodded at her before bending over the terminal. Scanning over the readouts, he did several rapid mental calculations.

 

“Ms. Nolan. Please double check these readings and send them to the Command Center terminal.” He turned away to her murmured “Yes, sir,” and strode away from the station. _These coordinates correspond to Academy HQ prior to_ Bhunivelze's _launch. I wonder…._ Excitement bubbled just beneath the surface.

 

Reaching his office, Hope called each of his closest friends to join him while he waited for his hypothesis to be corroborated by Researcher Nolan.

 

**Hope's Office, _Bhunivelze_ , 20 minutes later…**

“Call it a hunch, guys.” Exasperation and exhaustion frayed the Director's well-known coolheadedness until it was nonexistent. “We'll know more when the readings have been checked out.”

  
  
“What? You don't trust your own head, kid?” Snow smiled, a feat that was gradually becoming easier when teasing the others about things unrelated to Serah.

 

“ **I** trust that head.” Sazh's stern gaze had no effect on Snow's teasing.

 

“Look, I just don't want to get our hopes up—“

 

Noel interrupted, “Hopes up, huh? Funny, Hope, you already look 'up.'” His chuckle was rustier than Snow's, but he tried anyway. “You're up and walking around, anyway.” He then waxed concerned. “Not that you look like you've been sleeping well.”

 

The usually calm scientist glared at his friends. “Haha. Very funny, guys. Like I've never heard **that** one before.” A pointed look at Snow had Sazh chuckling. “And I'm sleeping fine, Noel.” He took a deep breath before explaining himself further. “I want this to be something badly enough that I needed someone else to check it out for me, ok? It's how science is done.”

 

Snow took up the teasing again. “So what you're saying is that you **don't** trust that head of yours….”

 

“Fuck off, Snow.” Hope's deadpan tone caused the other three men to do a double take then chuckle at the resemblance between the man before them and the ex-soldier they'd spent weeks waiting to appear.

 

“I almost thought you were Soldier Girl for a minute, Director.”

 

Hope rolled his eyes at Sazh.

 

Their banter was cut short by Aina's voice crackling over the intercom. “Director, Ms. Nolan is sending her findings to you, now, sir.”

  
  
Once again all business, Hope reached over and turned the intercom on. “Thank you, Ms. Stein. Please pass my thanks on to Ms. Nolan, as well, for her speed.”

 

“Of course, Director.”

 

Hope turned off the intercom as the data started scrolling across his datapad. He turned on the larger screen to one side of the conference room used for presentations. _I was right. This could be where Lightning is._ Once again donning his Director's facade, he took a lecturing tone as he spoke to his friends. A rolling of eyes and put-upon sighs were the only responses. He ignored them.

 

“The readings' coordinates place the anomaly right where Academy HQ was just before _Bhunivelze_ launched. The area is swimming in Chaos; it has the highest concentration of Chaos of any place we're monitoring, including _Bhunivelze_. This is despite the fact the Paradox Rift opened and closed over Academia and in front of the _New Cocoon_ and Etro's Gate opened on the opposite side of _Bhunivelze_ compared to HQ and Sazh's airship and several miles northeast of Academia.”

 

Noel interrupted. “Yeah, but remember, the Goddess' Temple seemed to replace Academy Headquarters.”

 

“We need to get there.” Snow's new-found enthusiasm was contagious.

 

“We can't bring any of the Academy's field equipment. Nothing's been calibrated to account for the changes Chaos brings.” Hope's statement put a damper on everyone's rising spirits.

  
  
“Well, Director,” Sazh's drawl reignited their hopes, “good thing for you that my airship isn't as fancy as your field equipment.”

 

Smirking at the elder, Hope agreed. “Yes, it is, Sazh.” Grinning at his companions, he began planning. “We'll need to prepare everything from weapons to calibrated portable equipment that can guide us through that mess to travel rations and water.”

  
  
“You think of everything, dontcha?” Snow winked at the older man.

 

“Someone has to because you'll just run in.” Noel's jibe rolled off Snow's enthusiasm.

 

“Let's do this. How much time do you need, Director?” Sazh brought the conversation back to the subject at hand.

 

Everyone waited patiently while Hope considered everything that needed to be done. “Calibrating the equipment will take a few weeks....”

 

The loudest voice in the room interrupted, “Alright!”

 

“Not so fast, Snow.” Jade green eyes warned the blond to dial back the enthusiasm for the time being. “Light's position could still be in flux until the Paradox readings reach zero. I suggest we wait until then before we go looking.”

 

“When is that going to be?” Noel and Snow looked at Hope in startled confusion.

 

“If my calculations are correct—“

 

Sazh muttered, “Which they always are.”

 

Hope shook his head but otherwise ignored the interruption. “ **If** my calculations are correct, the Chaos should reach equilibrium at the same time the Paradox readings reach zero.” He held up his hand as the hunter and brawler started to interrupt him again. “Both of these events should occur in a couple of months.”

 

Blue eyes widened in shock. “Two months?! What happens to Sis in the meantime?” Snow stood up to pace.

 

“Last I checked, Snow, Light could take care of herself.” Hope glared at the larger man. _It's not as if I'm not worried about her, too. I have to believe that, confused or not, she can take care of herself; I have to believe her connection to Etro lingers and will protect her._ He found himself in agony fighting off a panic attack. _I have to believe she's ok or I won't be._

 

“That's settled. We pack up and be ready to go in a couple of months at the longest, right?” Sazh recognized the beginnings of a panic attack and sought to divert Hope's attention to something other than Lightning. _Kid'll always be a kid to me._ With a stern shake of his head, he cut the other two at the table off just as they opened their mouths to object. _And these two are just as bad as each other, wanting to go off without a plan._ He glared a warning; they both nodded.

 

Breathing deeply to calm his racing thoughts, Hope answered. “Yes. A couple of months at the most.” He stood from his chair indicating the meeting was over.

 

“Alright, Little Bro. A couple of months it is.” Snow's grin practically cracked his head in two as Hope's eyes bugged out of his head at the new nickname. “What? I thought you didn't like 'kid.'” Grinning wider, he continued, much to Noel's amusement and Sazh's consternation. “Or did you think I wouldn't notice you still have a hankering for Lightning?”

 

“Snow! I—! You—!” A bright red flush swept up Hope's cheeks to his hairline. _I can't believe he said that!_ Taking another deep breath, the centuries' old man felt like a fourteen year old again. “Forget it!” Booming laughter chased a blushing, flustered Hope out of his office and down the hall.

 

“Boy, I hope you know Soldier Girl will make you pay for that.” Sazh shook his head while suppressing a smile.

 

“Care to wager on it, Old Man?” Snow leaned back in his chair, propped his feet on the conference room table, and placed his hands behind his head. “Hope's a Big Boy.”

  
  
“And get my ass kicked by Lightnin'?” Sazh paused to consider it. “Hell no.”

 

Noel shoved the largest feet he'd seen in his life off the table. “Not cool, Villiers. Seriously not cool.”

 

Snow grinned widely, “I'm not wrong, though.”

 

Sazh shook his head at the kids' antics before leaving. _So long as we can laugh, we're doing ok._ A soft chuckle escaped him as he went in search of Dajh.

* * *

 

_**CE 0, Month 3, Day 4,** _ **Bhunivelze** _, Loading Dock 6C, Sazh's Airship…_

_The God of Light hovered just beyond the perceptions of His Savior's Anchor (as He'd begun thinking of the one known as 'Director'). It had taken Bhunivelze some time to find the boundary beyond which Hope Estheim could no longer sense His presence; it intrigued the deity that an entity so finite and tied to Chaos could be so sensitive. He watched as the silver-haired man and his companions prepared to find His Savior…._

 

“This needs to be attached to the navigation controls, Sazh.” Hope handed a small roll of film to the pilot.

 

“How am I s'posed to do that?” Sazh looked askance at the slightly glowing material.

 

“Just unroll it across the nav terminal, and it will automatically hack itself into the system. It'll correct for all Chaos bursts and put the correct navigational information on your output screen.” The younger man smiled reassuringly at the elder. “Don't worry, Sazh. Your airship will remain fully functional. Just tap the upper right corner to cause it to lift up and deactivate from the system, then peel up gently. Everything will be back to normal.”

 

“So how'd you do all this, kid? Even Cocoon didn't have this kind of stuff.” Snow carted a crate of rations while Noel rolled a crate filled with drums of fresh water into the cargo area.

 

“I didn't. It was the Academy's work.” Hope waved off the implied praise.

 

“Humble to the end, huh, Hope?” Noel smiled as he strapped the water in place.

 

“Not humble. Honest.” The Director stepped out to gather the portable guidance scanners (one for each of them), Nue (still his weapon of choice), and manadrives for him and Sazh.

 

“Whatever, Director.” Snow's emphasized Hope's formal title.

 

“Not the Director.”

 

“C'mon, kids. We got things to do and a soldier to find.” Sazh led the group into the airship proper, and closed the loading doors.

 

Trembling in anticipation, Hope strapped himself in behind Sazh. _Hang on, Lightning. We're coming._

 

_**Sazh's airship, an hour and a half later…** _

“I need to set down here. Any closer and the Chaos will knock us out of the sky.” Stressed and strained from the turbulent flight, Sazh's voice crackled over the internal PA system. Suiting actions to words, the pilot set down in the middle of a grassy expanse; the Temple rose over craggy badlands to the northwest while the scattered remnants of Academia littered the south and east.

 

“I can't believe how much is just… Gone.” Noel scanned the horizon noting where each broken silhouette marked a building that no longer was.

 

“At least people made it out, right?” Snow turned to their de facto leader.

 

“Let's go. The anomalous readings are this way.” Hope strode toward a shadowy canyon. “According to the aerial scans made by the nav hack, through here is the easiest and most direct route to the Temple since we're on foot.”

 

Sazh, Snow, and Noel watched Hope walk away without so much as a passing glance at their surroundings.

 

Hope, noticing the others hadn't followed, stopped and turned. _I don't have time for this._ Brows furrowed, he demanded, “Are you guys coming, or not?”

 

Flummoxed, Snow answered. “Yeah. But what about—“

 

“We'll investigate what happened and deal with the aftermath once we find Lightning.” Hope turned on his heel and continued on.

 

“Ooo-kay.” Shrugging off the scientist's terse demeanor, a wide-eyed Noel followed.

 

“Let's go, Hero.” Sazh clapped Snow on his shoulder and followed the other two.

 

Muttering under his breath, “Told you so,” Snow trudged along after the others.

 

_**What will be Rocky Crag, Nova Chrysalia, 3 hours later…** _

“We should probably camp here.” Noel exited the side passage that was the only exit from the near-dead end the group found themselves in. Sazh and Snow were looking around the darkening walls while Hope was at the top of an incline with a scanner.

 

Hope considered the angle of the light and steepness of the surrounding cliffsides. “We still have daylight left.”

  
  
“Yeah, but this is the best spot to camp in the immediate area.” Noel faced off against his friend.

 

Not to be deterred, the scientist attempted to argue the point. “But—!”

 

Sazh stepped in. “We have food and water here, and it's a defensible position, Hope. Let's settle and rest for the night.”

 

“Maybe Lightning will find us. You know she won't stop looking until she does.” Snow added his two cents.

 

_They're right. I can't jeopardize the_ _ir safety and our mission. No matter how much I want to find Lightning_ _ **right now**_ _._ Dejected, Hope surrendered the argument. “Alright. We move on at first light, though.”

  
  
“Got it, Director.” Cocky grin below dark blue eyes almost had Hope back up and walking.

 

The four men set up camp and broke out their rations and water. As the last of the light faded, leaving only their campfire to reflect off the stone, Noel perked up and motioned for silence. The others stiffened as adrenaline rushed through their bodies; Hope and Sazh reached for their weapons.

 

A soft 'sh-sh', as of cloth or leather brushing against a hard surface, came from the canyon Noel had scouted earlier. He reached for his swords as he stood slowly. He motioned for Sazh and Hope to stay at range while Snow indicated he'd go around the other side of their campsite and out of sight to flank whatever it was. They all nodded.

 

Hope passed two manadrives, one purple the other a vortex of elemental colors, to the pilot. He put on a matching elemental 'drive and a 'drive with a green crystal in it. Snow and Noel disappeared into the darkness as they worked their way around to the passage's opening. Hope and Sazh stalked silently to the edge of the firelight at the top of the cliff they'd camped on; they crouched down behind some red flowered plants, blurring their shadows in the process.

 

As the two fighters drew close enough to see each other in the falling night, they heard the creature more clearly. In addition to the quiet 'sh-sh' that first drew Noel's attention, the two could now hear the chattering of teeth… Lots of them. Noel peeked around the cliff's edge on his side of the passage. Snow saw his jaw drop a little in surprise, and the larger man quirked his head to the side. The younger caught the motion and gestured for Snow to take a look for himself.

 

_Is that a head? With ears? And two tails?!_ Intrepid to his core, the blonde shrugged. _We'll figure it out after it's dead._ He clenched his fists in his gloves and knocked them silently together with a smirk directed at the hunter. Noel smirked right back as he readied his swords. As if of one mind, the two stepped back so the… whatever it was ...could pass between them into Hope's and Sazh's sights.

 

The first thing the two men near the fire noticed was a dark blob bobbing out of the passageway their friends should be near. The light glittered off two very large eyes and lots...and lots…of teeth. Sazh shuddered as he pointed his pistols. Hope gripped Nue tighter before lobbing it with all his strength at the thing. Two shots from Sazh followed quickly thereafter.

 

The creature turned toward its attackers. Despite its lackadaisical movements before, it sped toward the two men on the cliff leaving spatters of blackened ichor in its wake.

 

“Well, that certainly got its attention!” Hope readied his elemental manadrive as he caught his boomerang. _Need to quickly run through each_ _element_ _and find what it's sensitive to._

 

“I'm too old for this!” Sazh triggered faithra and bravera for himself and his companions.

 

Snow and Noel attacked at the same time. Feeling Sazh's magic wash over him, Snow's bellow echoed into the night. “Alright!” The brawler nailed the creature with a right fist and plowed it into the rock face. Noel used its momentary immobility to slash right then left before flipping away. The gouges bled heavily.

 

“Back off!” Hope's shout was the only warning he gave as he hit the creature with thunder, blizzard, and fire spells in rapid succession. The first two spells caused the furry blob to rock back into the cliff face behind it with small cries. The third caused an unnerving screech that stood the men's hair on end.

 

“That's it, Hope. Hit it with fire!” Snow's encouraging holler as he leapt back into the fray was unnecessary as Hope and Sazh readied more fire spells.

 

Burning bits of flesh dropped to sizzle on the ground below the creature. It turned toward its nearest attacker. Noel was still recovering from his attack when the thing opened its jaws—all three of them—and lunged. Noel's anguished cry and the sound of his body hitting the ground pulled Hope's attention away from the creature's bizarreness and back to the fight at hand.

 

The silver-haired man sent a curasa spell Noel's way then followed up with a fire spell from his other 'drive targeting the charred creature. Sazh hit Snow and Noel with an enfire spell off one 'drive then threw a fire spell at the sizzling furball off the other. Noel leapt to his feet as Snow careened into the creature broadside. Between Snow squishing its head between his shoulder and the rock wall and Noel stabbing it in the eye before slashing its face, the creature collapsed. The other two allowed the fire magic they'd called to their hands vanish unused. Harsh breathing echoed in the small cul-de-sac they'd chosen to camp in.

 

“Is it dead?” Sazh's question caused the two front line fighters to step back.

 

Snow nudged the lump with his foot and garnered no response. “Seems like it.”

 

“What is it?” Hope walked over and knelt down to get a closer look. “Noel, do you know?”

 

“No idea. Smaller creatures like these were pretty much gone by the time I was born.” Noel rotated his shoulder hissing as the still torn and pulled tissue stretched painfully.

 

“Let me see.” Hope stood and approached the teen. He sent a few cure spells into the other man's shoulder and torso. “Roll and stretch your shoulder and arm again.”

 

Noel smiled as he did so. “Thanks. No pain.”

 

“No problem.” Clapping the brunette on the now-healed shoulder, the taller man stepped away and headed back to their campsite.

  
  
“That's 'cause the kid was our best medic back in our l'Cie days.” Snow grinned widely as memories washed over him before shaking them off. “Looks like that holds true for manadrives, too.”

 

“Not a kid.” Hope absently answered Snow's not-question as he surveyed the battlefield and their camp. _Can't stay here unless we want to attract more unwanted attention._ He addressed his companions. “We'll need to move camp.”

 

“Can't catch a break. Can we?” Sazh's trademark statement caused them all to laugh.

 

Snow winked before answering the always rhetorical question. “Not today, Old Man.”

 

“Let's just go before something bigger comes looking for a snack.” Noel cleaned and sheathed his swords on his back before helping the others pack up their supplies. “Right this way, gentlemen,” with a smirk and a wave, he lead the others deeper into the canyons.

 

_**What will become Poltae, Nova Chrysalia, mid-morning, three days later…** _

Hope lead the others to the remains of a crumbling city carved into the surrounding cliffs; Etro's Temple rose forlornly in the near-distance. _This can't be Academia. Can it?_

 

“Valhalla?” Noel's quietly horrified question put the pieces of what they were seeing into perspective.

 

“So this is what happened to the center of Academia. It was changed to stone.” Sazh stopped to take in the drastic changes to the city he'd thought to call home with his l'Cie family. Hands on hips, the older man shook his head mournfully.

 

_There's nothing to be done here except what we came here to do._ Hope took a deep breath and refocused on his scanner. “C'mon. Light's this way.”

  
  
Snow's voice echoed back from the walls, distorted and haunting. “Isn't it odd that Sis hasn't moved since you detected her on _Bhunivelze_?”

 

Snow's confusion frayed Hope's last remains of patience. Stopping, the older man gestured around. “Where would she go, Snow? Those canyons are a maze.” He started toward the Temple shining above them even in the dim light. _She's not all powerful, Idiot._

 

Snow held his hands up in surrender. “Alright, alright. Just thought I'd ask.”

  
  
Hope drew a calming breath. “In any case, she's waiting.” He turned and continued on. _I can feel it._

 

_**Thirty minutes later...** _

As the four men approached the Temple, a girl's voice, amplified by the Chaos, reverberated in and around them.

 

_Go back. There is only pain and death here._

 

All four stopped dead in the street. “Yeul?” Noel's whisper-quiet question caused a shiver to climb the others' spines.

 

_You will not find what you seek._

 

Hope stepped forward to address Yeul's disembodied voice he felt more than heard. “How do you know what we seek, Seeress? With time stopped, your visions have stopped as well.”

 

A derisive voice spoke from the ether. “Listen to her, Director.” A swirl of Chaos, darker than the rest, coalesced into Caius standing on a roof above them. “There is nothing for you here.”

 

Fury and disbelief flooded the men's veins. Hope grabbed Snow before the blond giant could attack the ancient warrior and muttered, “Not now.” The larger man strained against the hold before relaxing and nodding.

 

“You're dead. You killed yourself on my sword!” Noel staggered back unable to face the evidence of his utter failure to protect Serah, Lightning, and Yeul from Caius' treachery.

 

“Death is but a shadow of life.” Caius gestured to the Chaos churning around them. “Where life does not truly exist—neither does death.”

 

“Bullshit!” Snow glared at the personification of Chaos before them. “If that was true, Serah would be here now!”

 

“The pink-haired girl cursed with the Eyes of Etro like Yeul?” Caius scoffed in pained disgust. “I told her what would happen if she continued.” He stared at Snow. “She chose to fight me across timelines and worlds. She died before Chaos flooded the world, and so her death stays true.” Shaking his head, he dismissed Snow as if his pain didn't matter. “Enough of this.”

 

The warrior turned to Hope and ignored everyone else. “You seek the Warrior Goddess?” Lavender eyes drilled into jade green. “She sleeps on Etro's Throne.” He smirked at the silver-haired man, knowing the centuries and timelines the scientist had struggled to find her—lived and died without her. “In crystal.” Green eyes widened in disbelief. “For eternity.”

 

“You LIE!!” Forgetting his own advice to Snow, Hope threw every elemental spell his manadrive could conjure at the infuriating man before him. When Caius deflected every blow, Hope went into a frenzy. Once the ex-l'Cie exhausted every last drop of power from his manadrive, the ancient being cursed with eternal life gazed at him impassively.

 

“Impressive.” Caius shook his hair from his face. “You fight as she did. With everything you have.” Smirking, he continued, “What is in your future is already in my past.” With a mocking bow, he finished, “Seek out the Warrior Goddess, then.” With a gesture, he conjured a bridge over the chasm separating the remnants of Valhalla from the Temple. As he faded, Caius left a last barb in the group's minds. _If you dare._

 

Hope snarled, “Let's go.” He stepped onto the bridge A chill presence, malignant in its intensity, engulfed the group as they began to cross. Shivers wracked the men one after the other. The Director reminded them of where they were and who they were dealing with. “It's Caius or the Chaos. Ignore it.” Weapons drawn and with an abundance of caution, the other three followed.

 

As Hope, Snow, Noel, and Sazh entered the shadowed interior of the Temple, the greenish light cast a pall over them. Yeul's voice echoed through and around them again.

 

_You must turn back. You bring destruction in your wake._

 

A girl, approximately 13 years of age, materialized from the Chaos. She gazed at them with emerald green eyes shadowed by the Ages; blue brows slightly furrowed in consternation. “You must turn back. There is nothing for you here.”

 

“Yeul.” Noel tentatively approached the apparition. “We have to find Lightning.”

 

“She is and is not here.” Yeul turned to Hope. “Why do you seek her?”

 

Silver hair swaying in the Chaos, Hope tried to answer, “She and I are partners.” Agony, equal parts hope and despair, added weight to his words, “I **have** to find her.”

 

The girl, or the girl's image—Hope wasn't quite sure which it was, nodded her head once. Yeul passed her hands in an arc above her head. Stairs appeared leading higher into the Temple. “The encounter is now ordained. Go to the fountainhead whence the Chaos flows.” With her cryptic message delivered, the ancient seeress disappeared.

 

_**Etro's Temple, Throne room, 1 hour later…** _

Chaos roiled in tangible streams as the four men stepped into the Goddess' Antechamber. Sazh wheezed softly at Hope's left shoulder. “Whew. We made it.”

 

“Of course, we made it, Old Man.” Snow's voice, naturally loud, echoed hauntingly in the large space. “Now, we just need to find Sis.”

 

Hope stared hard at his scanner. “This way. She's straight ahead.” He strode forward purposefully. The others kept step with him.

 

The analytical part of Hope's mind quickly calculated the dimensions of the room he was crossing and boggled at the immensity of it when added to the rest of the Temple. _Lightning was left for eons here?_ He felt physically ill at the thought. _I need to find her and bring her home. We'll start again._ _I'll keep her safe this time._

 

Noel's sharp eyes caught a shimmer off of Etro's Throne and paused to check his scanner. _Sure enough, she's right there._ He looked toward the Throne again and reached for Hope. He missed and grabbed Sazh instead.

 

“What's up?” Sazh stopped and looked at the teen, confused.

 

“We have to stop Hope.”

  
  
“Hmph. Good luck with that. Ain't nothin' stoppin' that boy.” Sazh shook his head.

 

By this time, Hope was halfway across the chamber with the Throne nearly in clear view. He paused when he heard Noel's and Sazh's conversation. “We came for Lightning, and I'm not stopping until we find her.” He kept walking.

 

“Hope, listen. What if Caius was telling the truth?” Noel begged Hope to hear him.

 

“I won't believe that until I see it.” Hope shook the Throne's crystalline glimmer out of his eyes. “Lightning served Etro so she is the only one who could turn Light into crystal, and Etro is dead.”

 

Snow listened to the back and forth between the other three men. Ice blue eyes stared hard into the Chaos-covered room searching for Lightning...and froze. _SIS?!_

 

Hope stormed forward leaving the others behind. _I won't believe it. I_ _ **can't**_ _!!!_ He stubbornly ignored the tears streaking his cheeks. _She wouldn't leave me. She promised!_ Hope's logical mind pummeled him with questions. _Wouldn't she? What if she knew Serah died before you got here? What if Etro wasn't done with her yet? What if—?_ All thoughts came to screeching halt as the Goddess' Throne came into clear view.

 

“Light?!” Her name—a gasp on his lips, all the air he could summon—as a hole ripped through his chest where his heart used to be. Rasping breaths and copious tears accompanied the soul-deep devastation seeing Caius' words given truth wrought. Hope stumbled to his knees, a supplicant before the dead Goddess' Throne searching for surcease from the crystallized woman resting there.

 

“Nnnooooooooooooooooooooo!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!” An animalistic roar accompanied by a massive expulsion of raw magic from the two manadrives he still wore pushed his companions to the edges of the antechamber. “You **promised**!” Heaving breaths stole all coherence from the usually eloquent man. “ **I** promised!” Sobs tore the rest of the words from him. _Why, Light? Why didn't you wait for me? We could've been together. All of us. We could've saved this world again!_ Resembling the lost fourteen year old boy he'd been when they met half a millennium ago more than the twenty-seven year old man he'd hoped she would see, Hope collapsed onto the floor.

 

Shuddering, Hope curled protectively in on himself as the emotional storm pulled him into his personal Hell. His friends gathered around to grieve with him, but he barely noticed instead murmuring, “I can't do this alone. I need you. You can't leave me alone. Please, Lightning, don't leave me alone.”

 

_One heard his pleas; the Benevolent God of Light determined to grant his Savior's Anchor his desires. And with the Anchor's compliance, He would gain His Savior's allegiance._

**Author's Note:**

> Notes on author's assumptions for the story:  
> HOW did Bhunivelze, who can’t see into all the chaotic bits that make people human, know to use Serah and Hope as a means of controlling and manipulating Lightning? This is the burning question I’m left with even after playing LR three times and reading the novellas several times. This story is my answer.
> 
> I know in LR Lightning said she didn’t dream. Quite the problem given my story’s premise. That said, we know in real life dreaming is a natural part of REM sleep. Without it (or enough of it), you wake up feeling like three-week-old, warmed-over death. Not every dream is remembered, and not everyone remembers their dreams at all.
> 
> So here’s my answer to that little dilemma. Basically, two additional things happened when Etro died. First, the dreams in crystal stasis are no longer perceived by the waking mind. Essentially, Lightning DID dream in stasis; she just didn’t remember it upon waking. Second, Etro’s presence protected those in crystal stasis from being perceived by Bhunivelze. With the goddess dead, Lightning, her dreams, and her ties to the others can be seen as if they were reflections on a still pond or lake. Additionally, the stronger the tie to someone or someplace, the stronger and more clear the reflection is. WHAM-O!… Premise conundrum solved. :)


End file.
